If you are currently experiencing a medical emergency:

call 911 (from cell) or 705-746-6262 (from land line)

The Key Harbour helipad is a registered ORNGE air ambulance helipad landing site, approved for year-round day & night landings for medical evacuation. This helipad was recently re-built with the financial support of the Municipality of Killarney and is maintained by the KRAA for the benefit of its members and the larger community. It gets used more than we would like but we are always thankful that it is there and ready. Just another of the services provided by your KRAA.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 12, 2018 - By Karen Turkstra

The expanded Key River Helipad has been approved since May 2017 for 24/7 service, meaning daytime and nighttime landings dependent upon the weather conditions and available resources. The Sudbury pilots are all NVG (Night Vision Goggle) trained and they are our area's first responders. Helicopter emergency response is available 24/7 as follows:

During daylight hours, Ornge performs on-scene response (ie. away from an airport or helipad). During nighttime hours, Ornge lands at identified helipads and airports including those with night landing restrictions if the crew is trained in night vision goggles (NVG).

There was an accident at the Key River harbour area in the late evening of January 14th, 2018. Ornge was called but unable to respond immediately as they were on another emergency call. They followed up to the situation but other "land" first responders were already on task. The land rescue went very badly for the patient and responders.

We want to ensure our Membership that all protocols and procedures were strictly followed by Ornge and that the Key River Helipad is a very valuable community asset. For a full Report from Ornge please see:

I am so pleased to share with you that the Key River Helipad is APPROVED for 24/7 service! I think we can all sleep a little better knowing we have an approved Emergency Landing site in our remote part of the Bay.

This has been a very long process with many levels of government intervention and support. Thanks to Paul Ruston for coordinating the efforts with Ornge, French River Contracting, MNRF and our local government. Thanks to the Municipality of Killarney for supporting the project with $50,000 of funding, support and Helipad Insurance. Thanks to our Councillors and Mayor for supporting and advocating for the Emergency Service expansion of the helipad.

I also want to thank my family for supporting me as we meandered through the approval maze. I am so happy and relieved that our community has access to 24/7 Emergency Service for all of our family members, guests, & tourists. Enjoy the Key and Bay and sleep tight tonight and always!

Please share this great news with your Key friends and neighbours. Maybe they will decide to join our great association for this reason alone.

UPDATE MARCH 6, 2017 - By Karen Turkstra

After endless hours of KRAA advocacy, we are on track to have a 24/7 Emergency expanded helipad site by May 15th 2017. The contractor is set to get started as soon as the ice is out, the funding is in place, the Land Use Permit is signed and the aviation insurance is intact. Thank you Municipality of Killarney Council for your financial support for this critical community asset. I am now talking with the MNRF about the appropriate signage for the helipad site.

Here is what YOU and YOUR FAMILY need to know about the helipad Ornge Service should there be an emergency. This is from the Helipad Inspector:

"With regards to night landings, as long as the helipad meets the standards that I sent previously, there should be no issues. Also note that the Key River helipad will still be considered a black hole helipad, so let me try to lay out the entire situation:

Black hole helipads still have the restrictions on them with regards to the operating crew needing 1 person to have been there in the previous 6 months. This of course is negated by the use of night vision goggles. The Sudbury base (which is the main base that would respond to calls in the Key River area) is a base that has been fully deployed in the NVG program. This means that all calls to any helipad (black hole or not) in the Sudbury area are currently being flown by crew utilising NVG, essentially negating the black hole restrictions. If a situation arises where the NVG is not serviceable through various means, then the crew must revert back to the original restrictions on black holes where 1 person in the crew had to have been there in the previous 6 months."

As you can see, we are in the fortunate position of having the Sudbury crew fully trained in NVG. This is a big relief and should make our community feel safer. There is always a chance that we could be a black hole site if the Sudbury crew are not available but at least our chances are much higher for their NVG service. We think this is great news!

UPDATE JANUARY, 2017 - By Karen Turkstra

At the August 2015 Helipad inspection we were advised that our helipad needed to be relocated or ex-panded to accommodate ORNGE's larger aircraft for night landings. After an arduous year+ long effort, we were successful in securing the $50,000 funding from the Municipality to expand the site, secure a Land Use Permit (LUP) with the MNRF (had to pass the endangered species Act for the fox snake and rattlesnake habitat), and liability insurance requirements for aviation. The next step is make sure that ORNGE will land at NIGHT at our Helipad once it is expanded by May 15th 2017 to their specifications. There is night vision goggle training required for ORNGE pilots. Please note that we are compliant for daylight landings but are not compliant for night landings until the expansion is complete and approved by ORNGE. Stay tuned. Thanks to Paul R. for maintaining the helipad site and its expansion contract and Killarney for funding this crucial project to our remote area and being the signatory on the LUP.

UPDATE JULY, 2016 - The helipad needs to be expanded to accommodate the newer and larger ORNGE aircrafts. The helipad expansion is estimated at $50,000 for which the Municipality of Killarney has supported and funded in its 2016 budget. Given the helipad has to be moved back to some degree and not simply expanded from its current centre, the application to the MNRF for a Land Use Permit and Work Permit (given it's on Crown Land) is being examined more closely and being held up as the area is considered a Foxsnake Regulated Habitat. The application has been sent from the Parry Sound MNRF to the Regional MNRF in Peterborough. They are currently working on considering an “A Permit” under the Human Health and Safety permit in an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). The KRAA has been working on this expansion since February/March 2016 and were hopeful for an end of May completion. This is obviously going to take longer than anticipated but will continue to advocate for an expeditious solution that suits all parties involved. Thanks to our Councillors for their support and advocacy on this important project.

UPDATE JUNE, 2016 - The approval for modifications to the Key River helipad is still with the MNRF Regional office. Councillor Jim Rook will follow up with the Peterborough office to find out what the status is of the request. At this time we are day landing approved only and not compliant for night landings. This is of course very disappointing. We have the HIFN approval and Killarney Park supports the request as well and will do so in writing despite its non jurisdiction status. It can't hurt to have more support but it will be the MNRF that finally decides the outcome. The approval is beyond KRAA control at this point but all interested parties are involved and trying to make it happen sooner than later.

UPDATE APRIL, 2016 - At the August 2015 Helipad inspection, we were advised that our helipad needs to be relocated or expanded to accommodate ORNGE's larger aircraft for night landings. In order to be "night landing" compliant we are very close to getting all of the necessary approvals to do the needed construction next month. Thanks to Councillor Jim Rook and the Councillors of Killarney for approving the needed $50,000 to expand the helipad. We are "daytime" compliant but we all know that we need the helipad 24 hours per day given our remote location.